Most suction cups have a frustro conical cup portion from which a generally cylindrical head or neck extends. Some suction cups have a J-hook that extends from the cylindrical head. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,356 discloses a suction cup having an offset-mounted hook. In this device the suction cup has a cup-shaped base and cylindrical neck with a transverse circular bore. A hook has a straight cylindrical top that passes through the bore. A flat head on the top portion retains the hook in the neck of the suction cup. Because the bore and the top portion of the hook are cylindrical the hook is free to rotate within the bore. The hook may also move axially through the bore. The hook attached to some suction cups has a ring at one end. The ring fits over the cylindrical neck. These hooks can rotate around the neck. Another suction cup holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 408,725. The suction cup in that holder has a cup-shaped base and a loop attached to the base. A hook is fitted through the loop. Yet another type of suction cup holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,859,893. The suction cup in that holder has a cylindrical bore through which a cylindrical rod passes. The ends of a U-shaped bail are attached to the ends of the rod. This type of configuration has also been used for towel holders in which a ring having a circular cross section passes through a cylindrical bore in the neck of the suction cup. In all of these holders the supporting ring or hook is made of metal or a plastic that is harder than the neck of the suction cup, which typically is vinyl. In the holder which has a ring passing through the suction cup the ring can be positioned so that the ring lies in a plane that is perpendicular to the wall on which the suction cup is mounted. If a towel is hung on the ring the ring will not remain in that plane but will be deflected downward.
Another type of suction cup holder has a U-shaped holding portion that is permanently attached to one or more suction cups in a manner that it will not move from a plane perpendicular to the wall on which the holder was mounted. Such a holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,502,714 and Des. 393,098. This type of suction cup requires a larger package than the suction cup with a ring that can be moved from a position in a plane perpendicular to the wall on which the holder was mounted to a plane parallel to that wall.
Yet another type of suction cup has a slot through the head or neck that divides the head into two spaced apart legs. Objects are held between the spaced apart legs. Such a suction cup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,974 to Adams and U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,153 to Boston et al.
U.S. Published application Ser. No. 2001/0040202 discloses a holder for a razor or similarly shaped article that has a suction cup and a split ring or a stem held within at least one bore through the neck of the suction cup. The bore and the ends of the split ring or stem have a multi-sided, preferably a square, cross section. Each side aligns with and is opposite a side of the bore keeping the split ring or stem in a selected position relative to the suction cup. When a square bore is used, the ring can be rotated 90 degrees within the bore from a plane parallel to a wall on which the suction cup could be mounted to a plane perpendicular to that wall. When a razor is placed within the ring while the ring is perpendicular to the wall, the ring will not be deflected downward. To connect the ring to the suction cup, the end of the split ring must be pulled apart.
There is a need for a suction cup with a hook or other holding device that will remain in a selected position. The hook must not freely rotate around an axis through the hook and not move around the head or neck of the suction cup.